Bag



Nov. 22, 1960 Filed June 6, 1958' J. F ESCO BAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J O H N F ES CO INVENTOR.

Nov. 22, 1960 FESCQ 2,961,063

BAG

Filed June 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHN FESCO INVENTOR.

BYW WIWW,

United States. Patent BAG John Fesco, Baldwin, N.Y., assignor to Studley Paper Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed June 6, 1958, Ser. No. 740,299

9 Claims. (Cl. 183?51) This invention relates to a bag and more particularly to a pouch type bag for use as a disposable filter bag in a vacuum cleaner.

it is now an accepted practice for vacuum cleaners to utilize filter bags of the disposable type for the purpose of separating and storing the dust and debris resulting from the cleaning operation and for conveniently disposing of the same. Such disposable filter bags are highly desirable from a hygienic point of view as well as for increased convenience in the use of cleaners of this type. In general, a disposable type filter bag for use with vacuum cleaners comprises an enclosure formed of a flexible air pervious filter paper or similar material caable of performing the separating operation in order to remove the dust, debris and similar material from the air stream in which it is entrained. The bag must be capable of withstanding the strain imposed thereon during the operation of the suction cleaner, as well as the weight of the waste material received therein.

In order to promote the efficiency of a device of this character, it is highly desirable that a maximum filter surface area be presented by the bag in order to accomplish the separation function. Furthermore, in order to reduce the requirement of frequent replacement of the bag and also to reduce the cost of frequent replacements, it is highly desirable that the bag or receptacle present as large a volume for receiving the waste material as possible.

An additional feature found to be desirable in bags of this character is that such bag conform itself as closely as possible to the configuration of the housing or receptacle within which it is disposed during use in order to utilize the available space at maximum eificiency. This requirement has become increasingly important in view of the tendency to reduce the overall size of the vacuum cleaning apparatus and the often asymmetrical configuration of the space within which the bag is disposed. The desire for compactness often results in a design wherein the configuration of the spice provided for the bag does not conform to conventional bag shapes and may include projections in the interior of the bag receiving compartment which require substantial distortion of the bag shape, particularly when distended in use.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a bag of the pouch type which is particularly adapted for use as a filter bag in a vacuum cleaner and which provides a substantial filter surface area and forms an enclosure of substantial volume and adequate strength.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a bag of the character indicated which is compactly formed tojoccupy a relatively small shipping and storage space and yet may be distended to form a large receptacle adapted to enclose a substantial volume.

It is further the object of this invention to provide a bag which is capable when distended to conform itself to the shape and configuration of any housing or enclosure within which it may be disposed, so as to provide a minimum of wrinkled or irregular surfaces which may ice interfere with the air stream or separation function and which will make most efiicient use of the space within which it is disposed.

Other and further objects, benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the description thereof contained in the annexed specifications, or will otherwise become obvious. It will be understood that the invention here disclosed may be employed for other purposes to which the structure and arrangement are adapted.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a blank from which the bag comprising the instant invention is advantageously formed;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Figure 1, in the process of being folded over to form a folded bottom for the bag;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the blank folded to form an open mouth expansible showing one corner raised for the purpose of clarity of illustration;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a pouch type bag in completed form;

Figure 5 is a cross-section of Figure 3 taken along line 55 thereof;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a fragment of a modified form of pleated bag blank;

Figure 7 is a cross-section of a modified form of bag resulting from the employment of the blank illustrated in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view of a bag in accordance with the present invention in the process of being manually expanded and distended, partly broken away for clarity of illustration.

Figure 9 is a perspective View of a bag in accordance with the instant invention disposed within one type of vacuum cleaner housing shown in outline;

Figure 10 is a cross-section of a vacuum cleaner housing of the general type illustrated in Figure 9, showing the disposition of a bag made in accordance with the present invention therein; and

' Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of another form of vacuum cleaner housing showing the disposition of a bag made in accordance with the present invention therein.

The bag in accordance with the present invention is of expansible and pouch type and is advantageously formed of a blank 29 as illustrated in Figure I. Said blank 20 advantageously comprises an elongated sheet of material such as flexible porous paper, normally employed in vacuum cleaner disposable filter bags. The opposing longitudinal side edges 21 of the blank 20 are formed into a plurality of superposed re-enu'ant folds which rest against the fiat body 41 of the blank and thereby provide pleated side edges therefor as shown at 22. The apices 23 of pleats 22 extend along the side edges 21 of the blank 20 except for face panels 25 which are provided with outwardly directed marginal extensions 24 which project beyond apices 23 thereof. The exposed surfaces of face panels 25 have deposited thereon longitudinally extending stripes 25 of an adhesive substance,

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the blank 20 is folded upon itself along a transverse fold line 27 medially of the length of the blank, so that the respective halves of the blank are brought into confronting relation and form opposing flat face Walls 28 and 29 for the bag structure. Adhesive contact is made between the opposing halves of the exposed surfaces of the face panels 25 so that there is thus formed a bag structure having. a folded bottom end 30 and an open mouth at its terminal or upper end 31. In this form, the bag comprises a compact unit which may be readily packaged and shipped in a minimum amount of space; The bag is readily ex- 7 tion distends the bag and causes it to balloon out.

pansible by manually grasping the extensions 24 and drawing them apart. This action causes the pleated sides to unfold and open thereby laterally extending the bag walls to form a relatively large bag of substantially rectangular configuration provided with a folded bottom and an open mouth.

When the bag is intended for vacuum cleaner use, an aperture 32 is advantageously formed in one of the face walls as Wall 28, which aperture is surrounded by a collar or flange 33 to provide a suitable mounting means for the inlet fitting or conduit of a vacuum cleaner and to provide access into the interior of the bag.

In the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed for vacuum cleaner use the free or terminal end 31 of the bag is completely sealed by providing the open ended bag shown in'Figure 3 with transverse stripes 34, 35 and 36 of an adhesive substance along said open end so that when the top edge thereof is twice folded over upon itself as shown at 37 in Figure 4, said end of the bag is completely sealed and the terminal portions 42 of pleats 22 extending along said end 31 are interfolded and thereby confined against displacement or unfolding movement in a lateral direction. The deposit of the transverse adhesive stripes 34, 35 and 36 on the surface of marginal extensions 24 serves to more effectively fix the pleats against displacement or withdrawal in this region. It will be noted, however, that the pleats along the folded bottom of the bag are relatively lightly retained by the bight of their bottom transverse fold.

As a consequence of this arrangement, the marginal extension 24 may be manually grasped and drawn apart as shown in Figure 8. The pleats disposed along the folded bottomof the bag are thus caused to be laterally displaced and to unfold, fanning out in the process along each of the side edges of the bag Walls 28, 29. This ac- The fixed roots 44 of the pleats at one end of the bag form an origin from which the displaceable portions of the pleats radiate. As will be noted from Figure 8, the bag thus formed comprises a pouch-like structure having a constricted end 43 wherein the terminal portions of the pleats are retained in folded or otherwise fixed position and a progressively distended or ballooned body portion 45 is formed as the pleats are 'unfolded along the bag fold line. A bag of this type is susceptible of many uses and may be adapted for a variety of applications by means of minor structural modifications such as for example, a change in the configuration or disposition of the access opening 32 without disturbing the principal characteristic of its construction.

The bag, as heretofore indicated, is particularly adapted for use as a disposable vacuum cleaner filter bag. This application is particularly illustrated in Figures 9, and 11. Figure 9 illustrates a vacuum cleaner 38 of the tank type which is of substantially rectangular configuration. The interior of the tank is provided with an upwardly projecting housing 39 enclosing the associated apparatus. This disposable filter bag is therefore required to conform itself to the irregular configuration of the tank interior and to extend around and occupy the space surrounding the centrally projecting housing 39. The instant bag readily accomplishes this purpose. As may be seen in Figure 9, the bag, designated generally by the numeral 40, ismounted'in the interior of the cleaner tank 38 by the engagement of the inlet conduit 45 within the aperture 32 surrounded by collar 33. As is further apparent from said Figure 9, the central portion 46 of the bag is readily indented in the region of the proiecting housing 39 and thus pillows the housing. The side portions 47 'of the bag readily follow the contour of the 7 housing and extend around a substantial portion'thereof.

further distended and balloons out to fill the available space in the interior of the tank to the fullest degree made possible thereby; the bag conforming itself further and more completely to the interior configuration of the tank. This ability of the bag to conform itself to the available space and to occupy a maximum volume is further illustrated in Figure 11 which shows a vertical type tank 55 having an extensive vertical central pro ection 56 which is pillowed and encompassed by the bag structure 40 when in distended form as in use. It will be apparent also that the arrangement provides for maximum utilization of the available filter surface area of the bag material.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of blank from which the instant type of bag may be formed. In this modification the blank 47 is provided with pleated side edges 48. Each of the face pleats 49 is enlarged so that the apex 50 thereof extends beyond the apices 51 of the lower pleats upon which it is superposed and thus forms marginal extensions 54. The face panels 52 are inwardly directed and are provided with adhesive strips 53. The blank 47 is processed in the same manner as the blank illustrated in Figure 1. It will be noted, however, as may be seen from Figure 7 that by reason of the inward direction of the face panels 52, the raw paper edge as with extensions 24 is eliminated from the exterior margin of the bag. Furthermore, the marginal extensions 54 formed by the extension of the face pleats will comprise four layers of paper instead of two as in the previous embodiment, whereby the marginal extensions 54 are manually grasped for the purpose of opening the pleats and distending the bag. The presence of the four layers serves to assure against possible tearing of the paper during the spreading and distension of the bag.

I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It will be apparent, however, that this invention is not limited to this embodiment, and that many changes, additions and modifications can be made in connection therewith without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dirt filtering bag for vacuum cleaners comprising a sheet of flexible material provided with a plurality of pleats including face pleats formed along the opposing side edges thereof and transversely folded medially of its length along a single fold line, the confronting panels of the face pleats being joined to each other, said pleats being laterally unfoldable along said transverse fold, thereby forming an enclosed bottom for said bag coextensive with the width of said sheet, the confronting pleated ends of said sheet being folded over upon themselves to thereby secure said pleats against lateral displacement along the top end of the bag, the pleated edges being held in pleated condition only by the bight along said transverse fold.

2. A dirt filtering bag for vacuum cleaners comprising a sheet of flexible material provided with a plurality of pleats formed along the opposing side edges thereof and transversely folded medially of its length along a single fold line, the confronting surfaces of said folded pleats being secured to each other, said pleats being retained in position along said fold by the bight thereof only, at least one of said pleats being provided with an outwardly directed marginal extension projecting beyond the apices of said pleats whereby it may be manually grasped and said pleats drawn apart. 7

3. A dirt filtering bag for vacuum cleaners comprising a sheet of flexible material provided with a plurality of pleats includingface pleats formed along the opposing side edges thereof, said pleated sheet being transversely folded medially of its length along a single fold line, the confronting panels of face pleats being joined to each other, said pleats being retained in position by the bight of said fold only and being laterally unfoldable along said fold, the ends of said sheet being joined to seal the mouth of said bag, said sheet being provided with an aperture formed in said sheet to cooperate with a vacuum cleaner inlet element.

4. A bag comprising a sheet of flexible material, the opposing longitudinal side edges of said sheet being formed into a plurality of superposed re-entrant folds disposed against the flat body of the sheet to provide pleated side edges therefor, said pleated edges including face panels, the exposed surfaces of said face panels having an adhesive substance applied thereto, said sheet and its pleated edges being folded upon itself along a single transverse fold line substantially medially of its length and the respective halves of said sheet and face panels being in confronting relation, the face panel halves being adhesively secured to each other along the bight of said single fold line and along their confronting lengths, the side edges of said sheet being retained in pleated condition only by the bight along said fold line and being adapted to be manually withdrawn from said bight and unfolded from their pleated condition to laterally extend said bag.

5. A vacuum cleaner filter bag comprising a sheet of flexible filter paper provided with a plurality of pleats formed along the longitudinal side edges thereof, the uppermost of said pleats including a face panel, said sheet being transversely folded over upon itself along a single fold line substantially medially of its length, the folded face panels along each longitudinal side edge being in confronting relation along said fold line and along their length and being adhesively secured to each other along said confronting surfaces, said pleats being otherwise unsecured along said fold lines and being retained in position only by the bight of said fold and being capable of being withdrawn from said bight to unfold said pleats and to extend said bag walls laterally.

6. A bag comprising a sheet of flexible material provided with a plurality of pleats including face pleats formed along the opposing side edges thereof, said sheet 'being transversely folded medially of its length along a single fold line to form a bottom enclosed bag, said pleated edges being joined to each other along the confronting surfaces of their face pleats, said pleats along the enclosed bottom of said bag being retained in position by the bight of said fold line only, said enclosed bag bottom and pleated portioins being extensible to substantially the width of said sheet.

7. A bag according to claim 6 wherein one of said pleats is provided with an outwardly directed extension whereby it may be grasped in order to unfold said pleats.

8. A bag comprising a sheet of flexible material provided with a plurality of pleats including face pleats having face panels formed along the opposing side edges thereof and transversely folded along a single fold line medially of its length, said fold comprising a bottom for said bag, said pleated edges being joined to each other along the confronting surfaces of their face panels, the terminal portions of said pleats being joined to each other against displacement, said pleated edges in the region of said bottom transverse fold being retained in position by the bight of said fold only and being laterally extensible in said region.

9. A bag comprising a sheet of flexible material provided with a plurality of pleats including face pleats formed along the opposing side edges thereof and transversely folded along a single fold line medially of its length, said fold line comprising a bottom for said bag, said pleated edges being joined to each other along the confronting surfaces of the face pleats to form a folded bottom bag enclosure, the terminations of said pleats being joined to each other to prevent displacement, and the pleated portions in the region of said fold being retained in position only by the bight thereof and being laterally unfoldable in the region of said transverse fold to thereby increase the Width of the bag in this region.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 224,934 McCullough Feb. 24, 1880 296,117 Blowers Apr. 1, 1884 326,592 Sawyer Sept. 22, 1885 775,268 Flowers Nov. 15, 1904 1,030,655 Ellis June 25, 1912 2,672,213 Cropley Mar. 16, 1954 2,832,433 Brace Apr. 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 835,328 France Sept. 19, 1938 

